retaliation for whistleblowing

[worksforHAL]

What is the name of your state? Illinois About a year ago I used an internal whistleblowing process that is in place within my corporation to report unethical and quite possibly illegal activity within the Illinois/Chicago office. This process is supposedly sanctioned and allows the reporting person anonymity to all but the department handling the report.
Within a month of submitting this report I began to overhear snide and slanderous remarks made to and about me in passing by the people I believed to be involved and experienced continued sabotage of projects I was working on. My manager and her manager began to make unwarranted complaints of my performance even though these same managers had promoted me, and awarded me a cash award just 6 months earlier.
The activity I reported internally seems to be related to some other activities by this company that have since been named in an indictment by the US Department of Justice. I know that I am right about this additional wrongdoing yet I am the one being punished. I was just advised that my position is being eliminated. Do I have any recourse?


Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

[Beth3]

While the timing of all this is suspect it is at least possible that these are unrelated events. Have you contacted the internal ethics hotline to inform them of the things that have taken place subsequent to your first contacting them?

Without knowing the exact specifics of the allegations you mention, it's not possible to know whether any whistleblower protections apply. With the exception of a few specific situations, internal "whistleblowers" often have little to no protection in the law. Since the DOJ is involved, you may want to contact them and discuss whether you have any legal recourse if your job is being eliminated in retaliation for internal notification of your concerns, or you may wish to consult with an attorney.

 

[cbg]

In the majority of states, internal "whistleblowing" is not protected. If you had reported illegal activity to the appropriate regulatory agency, that would have been protected but an internal complaint is not.

While I have not been able to get a definite confirmation that the above is true in Illinois, I have not been able to find any evidence that it is not true. You can check with the state DOL.

Even assuming that you have evidence that your job elimination is directely tied to your internal complaint (if you have such evidence you have not presented it in your post) barring any protection granted you by state law, this may be grossly unfair but is not illegal.

 

[Beth3]

cbg, there could be some protection here under Sarbanes-Oxley and perhaps one or two other reg's but it depends on what sort of irregularities the poster reported.

 

[ENASNI]

Not meaning to hi-jack, just wanted to tell you two that you are amazing!

 

[cbg]

Good catch, Beth. S-O was passed after I left HR management so I tend to forget about it.

 

[worksforHAL]

Thank you both for your replies. Do you know how I would report under Sarbanes-Oxley?
My whistleblowing described (suspected) activity beyond that listed in the DOJ indictment but I'm feel sure it is related even though it was under a new Governor. New administration, same business model I guess.
Without being too specific, the original DOJ indictment deals with State government contracts with a large corporation and ultimately the wasting of taxpayer money. I reported internally before I was aware of an indictment because I naively believed that the problem did not go beyond the State contract business group.
If this bad business which I reported is proven to be true, or prosecuted at a later date. Do you think I might have legal recourse in the form of a lawsuit then?

 

[cbg]

EVERYBODY doesn't get protection under Sarbanes-Oxley. It depends on what industry you are, whether you are publicly owned, and specifically what you reportetd.